The fall of mankind into sin began with the serpent saying to Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” Of course this leads to a conversation between Eve and the serpent in which he convinces her that she is completely within her rights to eat of the tree God forbid. It is partly the cunning manipulation of the devil and partly the rationalization of Eve that leads to her sin. Humanity’s relationship with his creator is forever changed with that seemingly harmless exchange.

Humans still fall for this old trick. We are constantly asking ourselves, “did God really say…?” We might even ask ourselves, “Did God really mean…?” This is almost always the first step toward rationalizing an action or behavior that we certainly know is contrary to God’s word. This is the sin of pride at its worst. This is the sin of humans determining their own morality based on their own preferences. People want to make their own rules. Our sin nature has a default setting against authority.

This rebellion is nothing new, people have rejected God’s Word and authority sin that day in the garden. But throughout history at various times and in various cultures, humans have pressed the bounds of depravity in shocking ways. Sodom had a total moral implosion, and felt the full force of God’s wrath. The Roman Empire sunk into unspeakable immorality and eventually fractured and disintegrated. Now our own culture is currently attempting to out sin them all.

Not only does American culture dismiss the authority and truthfulness of God’s Word, now the culture has even denied the most basic and obvious reality. Debates rage about cross-gender restrooms. Transgender is the new cause that is being touted as normal and natural. According to the Human Rights Campaign’s (a radical liberal organization) website, gender identity may be defined as, “One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.” The only place to go from here is “species identity,” identifying with an animal or species other than what one appears to be biologically. ​Friends this is a direct assault on the truth that man is made in the image of God. Has God really said, “you are a man or you are a woman.” YES, of course he has said that. It is revealed clearly and undeniably in the anatomical reality of our bodies. This is the spirit of Anti-Christ at the deepest level. Until we confess that God has indeed said all that is in Scripture, we will as a society continue to observe new and more perverse twisting of God’s creation. Cultures fall when the depth of depravity sinks this low. Ephesians 5: 3-16, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.”15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”